Chapter 19
nineteen
RYDER
Damn me for packing these stupid boxers. Why on earth did I ever think collecting them was funny? You go out shopping one time with your buddies in college, laugh at a pair of boxer briefs with a decorated dick pouch, and suddenly that’s your new thing .
None of these are good options. There’s Frosty the Snowman with the carrot dick pouch, Rudolph with the red pom-pom nose on the crotch, the pair with a Santa hat pouch, complete with white fur pom-pom on the tip, and more along those lines. The least embarrassing pair is one with mistletoe on the crotch, and I’m pretty sure that’s going to send the wrong idea. I don’t want Lexi to think I’m trying to get her to suck my cock. Obviously, I wouldn’t be opposed to that, but I’m fairly certain that won’t happen.
The second least embarrassing pair of boxer briefs is one with a present on the crotch and a big red ribbon bow. Guess that’s what I’m wearing in the hot tub. I certainly can’t wear any of the ones with a fabric cone over my penis. I lightly bang my head on the wall a few times and vow never to go on another trip without packing at least a couple pairs of normal boxer briefs.
Oh, well. Can’t be helped, now.
Once I’ve slipped into the mortifying boxers, I grab a towel from the bathroom, wrap it around my waist, and head for the back deck and the hot tub. The cabin is quiet. Lexi must already be outside.
Cold air envelops me as soon as I step outside, and I shiver. The arena is always chilly, but it’s nothing compared to this. When I play, I’ve got padding and layers of clothes on. My feet are covered in socks and skates. My helmet keeps all the heat from escaping my head. But right now, I’m hopping through the snow in bare feet and nothing but underwear and a towel, and it’s a lot, even for me.
But then I see Lexi, and all thoughts of the cold flee.
God, she’s stunning. Submerged to her chin in the steaming water, Lexi has her head tipped back against the headrest behind her. Her eyes are closed, letting her long lashes fan out across high cheekbones. A small smile plays at her lips.
I’ve never been so attracted to a woman in my life.
“Just gonna stand there and stare, stalker?” she asks without opening her eyes.
Clearing my throat, I unwrap the towel and drop it with hers. And as I’m dipping my first toe into the water that’s plenty warm but not quite hot enough to be considered hot after the days of snow and a power outage, Lexi’s eyes pop open.
The way she drinks in the sight of me would be enough to make me hard if my balls hadn’t already shriveled up inside my body from the cold and my dick hadn’t tried to tuck tail to conserve heat. Her half-lidded stare starts at my shoulders before sliding down my chest and abs. Those pretty green eyes linger on the dark trail of hair that starts below my navel and disappears beneath the waistband of my boxers.
And then her gaze dips to my dick. My dick, which is behind a printed present and a big red ribbon bow.
Just like that, her half-lidded eyes widen, and her lips twitch before splitting into a broad smile, then opening with laughter. She tries to stifle it, but she can’t.
With a sigh, I hurry to lower myself into the water and hide my package . The water feels blisteringly hot compared to the outside temps, even though I know it’s cooler than normal. “You swore you wouldn’t laugh.”
Lexi covers her mouth with her hand. Her eyes dance. “I’m sorry, it’s just...I wasn’t sure what to expect, but that is...” She stares at my crotch through the bubbly water. Her shoulders shake with silent laughter. “There’s a big bow on your dick.”
I’m sure my cheeks are bright red with embarrassment, but I try to play it off like I’m unaffected. “This is the least offensive pair,” I admit. That has Lexi bursting with laughter.
“No way. I need to see the others if this one is the tamest option.”
“Hell, no, OTG. Not happening.”
She bats her eyelashes at me and pulls her lips into an exaggerated pout. “Oh, come on, Ryder. Don’t be such a grinch.”
“No. Nope. I don’t care how much you pout. That’s going to be a no from me.” I shouldn’t want Lexi to want me, but I do. And, somehow, I don’t think showing her my ridiculous boxers will help. Not that I think much of anything would, at this point. The frustrating thing is, I know she wants me. But she won’t let herself go there. I can respect that. I don’t like it, but I can respect it. Hell, I shouldn’t be entertaining the thought of her, either, let alone dry humping her against an exterior wall. At least one of us has some self-control, because as far as Lexi Cross is concerned, I seem to be fresh out.
“You’re no fun, Hanson.” That damned pout. Her lower lip juts out, and I want to nip at it. Suck it in between mine. I want to make those lips swollen and bee stung.
“Agree to disagree,” I say. My eyes drop to her chest as she sits up in the water, and I catch a glimpse of her bathing suit. It’s a black string bikini with silvery screen-printed flowers all over the fabric. The triangular pieces hug perky breasts with peaked nipples. The top is tied tight enough that it helps push her breasts together and up, and my dick hardens as I watch small rivulets of water forge paths down her chest and cleavage. From what I can see, the bottoms sit low on her hips with bows tied on each side.
She’s a goddess. Stunning. I can’t look away.
“My eyes are up here,” Lexi teases. Her chest rises and falls faster. Her voice is low and sexy. She’s just as affected as I am.
Good.
Looking up, I don’t deny that I was staring. I don’t apologize. I don’t even smile. Completely serious and utterly honest, I give in to my urges and surge toward her in the hot water. “You’re beautiful,” I say. She shivers when I trace my thumb across her jaw. “Absolutely stunning.”
Pink floods Lexi’s cheeks. It’s more than the bite of the cold. This is a flush that starts at her chest and climbs up her neck before spreading across her cheekbones. It just makes me harder. She has to know how beautiful she is. Has to. But her chin dips to her chest, and she can’t make eye contact as she whispers her thanks.
That just won’t do.
With gentle pressure, I grip Lexi’s chin between my thumb and pointer finger and tip her head up, silently asking her to look at me. “You’re so beautiful, Lexi,” I say when she finally does.
“Thank you.” Her attention falls to my lips. Her pink tongue snakes out and wets hers.
“Lexi?”
Her attention remains on my lips. “Hmm?”
“I’m going to kiss you now.” Her breath catches, and I surge forward, capturing her lips with mine. They’re soft and pliant, while mine are demanding. My hands go to her waist, and I grip her, pressing her to my chest as I flip our positions. My back is where hers just was, and Lexi settles in my lap, straddling me. Whatever hesitation held her back after the Monopoly game has fled. She doesn’t hesitate to return my kisses. Her hands grapple with my shoulders as she holds on to me.
When I nip her bottom lip, she mewls. Fucking mewls. Instantly hard, I try to shift myself, so I’m not pressing into her center. I don’t want to scare her away. Not when she’s meeting me stroke for stroke. Her movements become more intense, frantic.
“The way you kiss...” she murmurs against my lips. “No one’s ever kissed me the way you do.”
How is that even possible? What idiots has she been dating? I can’t get enough of her. “No one’s ever made me as hard as you do.”
She chuckles against my mouth. The feeling of her mostly bare skin pressed against mine is everything. She’s driving me wild. Water sloshes around us as we make out, both of our bodies starting to move against each other.
“Ryder”—she pulls back just long enough to meet my gaze—“I know this can’t go anywhere, but what if we give ourselves a snowed-in-pass?”
My damned heart stutters, but I hide it. “What do you mean?”
Her fingers trace across my shoulders and map the planes of my back. “Well, it’s like Vegas. What happens in the cabin, stays in the cabin. We can do whatever we want, and it stays here. My dad never has to find out. We never have to do the awkward can we make this work thing, and neither of us will have to try to alter our busy schedules, only to realize there’s just not enough time in the week. We can be together while we’re here, and when we leave, we go back to our lives. What do you think?”
What do I think? I fucking hate everything about that idea. A few days with Lexi won’t be enough, and I know it. But she’s determined to put a wall between us. Do I agree with what she’s asking, or do I pull back now and put a stop to all of this? Can I leave whatever this is here when the week is up and the snow is plowed?
I should tell her no. I should tell her I think it’s a terrible idea. That I don’t want to pretend I don’t know her when we leave. But she’s so eager. It’s written all over her face. I don’t want to deny her, and if I’m being honest, I don’t want to deny myself, either. If she was proposing we give this thing a shot and see where it goes, I’d agree in a heartbeat. But this? I’ve had a few casual flings with women, but none of them has made me feel half of what Lexi Cross does.
“What do I think?” The words hang between us. I cup her cheek in my palm and run my thumb along her chilled skin. “I think, if that’s all you can give me, I’ll take it.”
Green irises study me, bouncing back and forth as she surveys my face. She drags her lower lip between her teeth. “Ryder...I think you’re a great guy, and if circumstances were different, I’d...”
“Hey, it’s okay,” I say, stopping her.
“It’s just that, with my master’s program and everything, I really don’t have time to date. There’s so much going on, and I’m not really in the right place for a relationship, you know?” She stares at me, wide eyed and expectant while gnawing on her lower lip. Water sloshes around her hands as she wrings them in her lap.
She’s probably right. She doesn’t have time for a relationship, and neither will I, once my stupid hand heals. And sure, Lexi Cross is beautiful and smart, and hilarious, but how much of my attraction to her is proximity-based? After all, we’re stuck here together with no one else around. Of course, she’s going to seem like the most amazing woman ever. There’s no one around to compare her to.
That has to be it.
So, why doesn’t it feel that way?
“I get it,” I say, pasting a smile on my face. “I vote yes on the snow-pass.” She sighs as I press my lips to hers. “I can’t seem to say no to you.”
“Are you sure?”
No . “Yes. Now, as fun as this hot tub is, I want to get you naked and eat your pussy. And it’s a little cold to lay you out on the deck for that.”
She shifts on my lap, her pupils blown wide.
“What do you say we bring this inside?”
“I say yes,” she says, breathless.
That’s all I need to hear. Ignoring our towels, I scoop her up out of the water and carry her inside. She squeals and holds on tight to my neck, but her laughter tells me she’s not afraid. Lexi Cross trusts me not to drop her, and I won’t betray that.
“The towels,” she says through her giggles. “We’re going to track water all over the cabin.”
“That’s what mops are for.”
“We’re going to soak the bed.”
I smirk. “That’s the plan, OTG.”
We’re both laughing as I get us inside. Water drips off our bodies, leaving a trail through the cabin as I make my way to the bedroom I’ve claimed as mine while we’re here. The little minx in my arms peppers kisses across my jaw, my neck, my shoulders. Her warm skin against mine makes me desperate to remove every last stitch of fabric between us. I want to know what it feels like to be completely skin to skin. To feel her under me, on top of me. I want to be inside her. I need to be.
The door to my room bangs against the wall as I carry her in and toss her onto the bed. Her squeal as she bounces on the soft mattress makes me smile. The sight of her, breathless and flushed on her back, makes me hard. Lexi notices, too. Her eyes widen as she stares at my bow-clad package. A package that is growing by the second.
“Merry Christmas to me,” she whispers to herself.
Damn, she’s cute.
“Come on, beautiful. Let’s get you out of those wet clothes before you get cold.” I climb onto the bed and make my way toward her. She watches me with rapt attention. Her chest heaves, her plump lower lip slips between her teeth, and her jewel eyes are hooded as I reach her. My fingers toy with the bows tied at her hips. “Look at you. All wrapped up for me. You’re the perfect present.”
A sweet little gasp meets my words as my fingers tug on one of the ties, and the side of her bikini bottoms falls open. Goose bumps cover her skin, and I can’t tell if it’s from the cold or her arousal. I untie the other bow in the same way, watching her expression the entire time.
“You sure about this?”
She nods.
“Words, Lexi. I need your words, or this can’t go any further.”
Her lips part. “Yes. I’m sure. Fuck me, Ryder.”
All my blood rushes straight to my dick as I grip her bikini bottoms and tug them off. They land on the wood floor with a wet splat . “Jesus, Lex.”
Her sweet little pussy glistens with arousal already. She’s neatly trimmed and groomed, and perfect. I skim my fingertips through her dark curls. Lexi gasps, her back arching off the bed, and my attention goes to her chest. To the hard nipples begging to be played with. Slowly, I run my fingers up her lower belly, her stomach, and up to her sternum. I palm her left breast. A perfect handful. Lexi moans. The fabric is cold, and I waste no time untying her top and throwing it on the floor with the bottoms.
“Lexi. Fuck. You’re perfect.” And she is. Her skin is soft and warm, her body strong and elegantly curved. Everything about her is inviting. The fullness of her breasts, the dip of her waist, the swell of her hips; all of it is as close to human perfection as I’ve ever seen.
Her body flushes pink. She closes her eyes for just a moment before recovering and fixing her attention on me. “Ryder. I want to unwrap my gift.” Slim fingers tug at the bow on my boxers, and I chuckle.
“You want my cock, baby?”
She nods. “Very much.”
Far be it from me to leave a lady wanting. Without another word, I hook my thumbs in the waistband of my boxers and drag the wet cotton down my hips. The fabric catches on my ass, clinging to me, but after a few more moments of struggle, they’re off, and my dick is free.
“Damn,” Lexi murmurs, staring at it. She looks up at me sheepishly when I laugh, but she doesn’t need to be embarrassed. I’m glad she likes my dick. And I’m going to make sure she craves it by the time the night is done. But first…
“Before you get to play with your present, I want to taste you.” She squeals as I grip her hips and drag her toward me. With a wicked smirk, I drop to my stomach and wrap my arms around her thighs, spreading them for me. Her center glistens with arousal, and I hum with pleasure when I drag my tongue through her folds.
She tastes like ambrosia. Like sin and salvation.
Lexi’s back arches off the bed as I groan low against her pussy before I unleash myself and feast on her. She cries out as my tongue parts her lower lips and lap at her. She’s so responsive. Her cries fill my room as I press a finger into her tight heat.
“Oh, god, Ryder. Fuck!” Her hand tangles in my hair as I devour her. She hangs on for dear life. Unintelligible cries fall from her lips in a symphony of pleasure as I circle her clit with my tongue. Her hips move as I eat her. They’re soft movements at first. Slow rolls that grind her pussy against my lips. But as I bring her closer and closer to the edge, she loses control, and they buck against me.
“That’s it, baby.” I cease my assault just long enough to place a kiss on her inner thigh. “Fuck my face. Take what you need.”
Her pupils blow wide, mouth open and panting, and her chest heaves. It’s quite a sight. I could get used to this. Maybe if I’m lucky, another blizzard will roll in and strand us here for a few weeks straight. Maybe a month.
Who am I kidding? Even that wouldn’t be enough.
“Ryder,” she whimpers. “Please.” Her hips continue to roll, desperate for friction and seeking release. And who am I to keep that from her?
“Don’t worry, Lex. I got you.”
She cries out when I flatten my tongue against her clit before suckling on it lightly. “Please, please, please,” she chants. Both hands run through my hair. I hiss against her pussy when she threads her fingers through my strands and tugs on them. My dick is aching. I’m rock hard. Hell, if I’m not careful, I’ll end up coming just from the sounds Lexi makes and the pressure of her fingers gripping my hair.
I need to make her come, so I can bury myself in her wet pussy. I need to make her scream my name.
Thrusting two fingers inside of her, I curve them. She gasps. Lexi’s stomach tightens and hollows out and her thighs shake. She’s so close to the edge. It won’t take much to push her over it.
“Come for me, Lexi,” I order. The words vibrate against her clit as I speak them. I drag my fingers along her inner walls faster and faster, pumping them in and out more erratically. Her breathy pleas fill the room, and she thrashes her head back and forth on the bed. “Come for me.” I suck hard on her clit, and her body goes rigid. A scream tears from her throat as her back arches off the bed. I don’t stop pumping my fingers, but I release her clit, only to lap at it with my tongue.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she chants. When she starts to pull away from me, I wrap my arms around her thighs, pinning her in place. I’m determined to drag this orgasm out as long as I can. “Oh god, Ryder. It’s too much. Please, it’s too much.”
With a last, lazy lick, I release her before surging up her body and claiming her mouth with mine. The taste of her pleasure coats my lips, and I want her to know how delicious she is. And she is delicious. I’m tempted to ignore my throbbing dick and go down on her again.
“How do you feel?” I ask against her lips. Her hooded eyes and slow smile say plenty.
“So good. You’re quite talented with your tongue.”
“I’m even better with my dick.” I roll my hips, grinding my erection against her hip. “Why don’t you let me show you just how talented I am?”
When her slender fingers wrap around my shaft and give it a lazy stroke, it’s my turn to moan.
“I’d like nothing more.”